Did You Know...
...that the Eveready Battery began as an invention called the "electric flowerpot," which was a tube with a battery and light bulb inside? The idea was to fasten this gizmo to the side of a flowerpot so it would illuminate the flowers from the bottom. The idea died on the vine and the businessman who licensed the flower pot, Conrad Huber, was left with a pile of useless tubes -- until he found a way to market them as batteries to light the world!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7364123 | Self powered railway monitoring system A data gathering apparatus comprises a power generation device configured to generate power via movement of the rail. The data gathering apparatus further comprises a sensing device configured to receive power from the power generation device and to sense at least o... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7177732 | Automatic coupling of locomotive to railcars An automatic coupling system (10) for a locomotive (11). The automatic coupling system includes a means for detecting a coupling contact and for controlling locomotive systems such as throttle and brakes in response to such contact. The means for detec... | 02/13/2007 |
| 6895362 | Active broken rail detection system and method A system to monitor the integrity of a railway track is provided. The system comprises a mechanical signal source and a correlation detector. The mechanical signal source coupled to the railway track and is configured for generating a mechanical signal pulse train o... | 05/17/2005 |
| 6820460 | System for monitoring the working of rotation or roll dampers System for monitoring the working of rotation or roll dampers in rail vehicles provided with a superstructure which rests on at least two chassis, in which the motions which can be generated as a consequence of the self-seeking character of a wheel set are damped in... | 11/23/2004 |
| 6739175 | Apparatus for performing mechanical tests on structures Apparatus for performing mechanical tests on structures, in particular on energy absorber elements in the field of railways, wherein a pyrotechnics launcher comprising a launch tube slidably receiving a thrust rod is disposed at one end of a segment of rail track, s... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6234011 | Vehicle testing apparatus and method thereof A simulation apparatus for simulating vehicle movement during actual running has a mock vehicle that is provided with a truck and a vibrator, and a numerical model that is virtually connected to the mock vehicle and stored in a digital computer. Wheels ar... | 05/22/2001 |
| 6216525 | Distributive retarder test device A testing device is provided for checking the resistive force of a retarder installed on the rail of a railway track for reducing the speed of a railcar rolling along the track. The retarder is a hydraulic unit including a housing, a cylinder slidably mou... | 04/17/2001 |
| 5485742 | Test sill for railcar cushion units A cushion unit is supported in a test sill for testing by a hydraulic ram tester. The test sill includes a horizontal sill member. A stop block having a receptacle for receiving a rod end of the cushion unit is attachable to the sill member at any of a pl... | 01/23/1996 |
| 5325700 | Railcar cushion device tester and method A railcar cushion device is tested by applying a force necessary to move the cushion device in a controlled motion at a predetermined velocity or velocities according to a motion profile. The cushion device's performance is analyzed by measuring the force... | 07/05/1994 |
